Switch-lock



J. M. MORRISON.

SWITCH LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 2 1920.

Patented June 14, 1921.v

IIVVENTOR WITNESSES 4 TTOR/VEYS UNITED STATES JOHN M. MORRISON, OF PLATTSBURG, NEW YORK.

SWITCH-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 14, 1921,

Application filed November 2, 1920. Serial No. 421,216.

To all 20 7mm it may concern.

Be it known that I, J OHN M. MORRISON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Plattsburg, in the county of Clinton and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Switch-Lock, of which'the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

In connection with switches, and more particularly track switches, it is well appreciated that numerous accidents have occurred, where a switch has been thrown sufficiently to indicate that the same is open or closed. subsequent to which incident to the jars of a train passing over the same, or other reasons, the switch has been released resulting in the derailment of certain of the cars of the train.

In view of this danger, rules have been enacted which compel the association of a pad lock to a switch lever, to prevent any movement of the same after it has once been completely thrown, unless the pad look is removed.

Numerous difliculties have been experienced in the use of this type of lock, in that the same are exposed to the action of the elements, and a great temptation exists on the part of trainmen, where the key has been lost, to destroy the pad lock, which may readily be accomplished by striking the same with a hammer, subsequent to which the switch throw lever may be operated, as desired.

With this in view, I have constructed a lock which is incapable of being tampered with by brakemen, and in which it will be impossible to effect a withdrawal of the key operating such lock, until the switch has been completely thrown, and locked in position.

A further object of my invention is the construction of a device of this nature, which should cause the actuation of a semaphore to indicate the condition of the switch, should the same be other than completely thrown.

Thus it will be impossible for a train or yardman to effect a removal of the key from the lock without effecting a complete throwing of the switch, and relocking of the same.

Also it will be seen by means of my improved device, that even although an operator should neglect the removal of the key, assuming that the switch had not been completely thrown, and he had overlooked the withdrawal of the key, that this dangerous condition of the switch would be immediately indicated to the engineer of a train.

Further embodiments of my invention will appear from the annexed specification and drawings, in which latter,

Figure 1 is a side view of asemaphore switch post of the type utilized in connec tion with my improved type of switch.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional side view showing the arrangement ofthe parts of my lock, the switch being completely thrown, and the lock guarding against any move ment of the parts. 3

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional side view showing the look in open position, and the switch parts moving to the position at which the switch may be thrown. a

Fig. 4 is a similar fragmentary sectional side view showing the parts in a more advanced stage than that indicated in Fig.-3.

Fig. 5 is a front view of the lock.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the base of the semaphore switch post. i

Fig. 7 is a sectional side View showing in detail one of the parts of the lock, and

Fig. 8 is a front view thereof.

In these views the reference. numeral 10 indicates the column or base commonly as sociated with the switch, andv of any suitable type, which connects the switch semaphore 11, also of any convenient type mounted upon the rotatable shaft 12, the lower end of which extends into the base 10 in the usual manner.

Also in the conventionalmanner, a switch thrown lever 13 is provided, which latter serves to effect any throwing of the switch. The base 10 includes, also in the conventional manner, a hollowed portion within also provided with supplemental recessed portions 17, in which the trunnions 15 are adapted to seat. i

Thus to throw the switch, it is necessary to primarily rock the lever 13 downwardly around its points of pivotal support .18,

This will naturally result in an elevating of the shaft 12,'together with the block 14, which operation, .if continued,'will permit the block 14: to entirely clear the recess 16, subsequent to which, upon a thrust being imparted upon the outer end of the lever 13, the shaft 12 and its associated parts may be turned to effect an operation of the switch.

It will be seen, however, that upon the switch being operated, that it willbe necessary to effect a release of the lever 13, and assuming that the parts are in their proper position, it will further be appreciated that the block 14f will again seatin the recessed portion 16.

To now provide means which'will serve to prevent any raising or turning of the shaft 12, other than upon the part of a person authorized to perform this. operation, and provided with a suitable key, I conveniently employ a lock. of any suitable character, which serves to effect a rotation of a bolt upon the lock being actuated, by means of the proper key 19, Thisbolt preferably includes a circular body portion 20, provided w1th guiding grooves 21 serving to prevent anylateral motion, the rear port1on of the bolt being Ushaped in cross section, as has been indicated by the reference numeral 22. Thus upon the parts being in the position illustrated in Fig; 2, will be seen that a liftingof the shaft 12,by' means of the lever 13, will effectually be precluded by'virtue of the fact that the trunnion 15 will project into'the U shaped rear portion 22 of the bolt, and be caused to engage, upon an upward pullbeing exerted, on the shaft 12, .the'base portion of this U shaped portion, thus efiectually preventing a lifting action, which will permit the block 14 to move clear of the recess 16'." Y i v Reference is now had to the inverted U shaped rear portion 22 thereof. This will obviously permit of the shaft 12 and block 14 being lifted in view of the fact that the trunnion'lt), adjacent the bolt is free to move upwardly. Subsequent to this lifting, the switch may be operated in the usual manner to effect a throwing of the same, and upon the parts reaching their normal position,

it will be obvious that the operator may actuate the bolt'to return all of the parts of my improved lock to the positions shown in Fig. 2.

To now provide means which will serve to operate a semaphore at a point remote from the lockthus provided, and at the same time to clearly indicate to an operator of the switch that the same is not completely thrown, it will be noticed, that an opening 23 is conveniently provided through the base of the U shaped portion 22 of the bolt. A secondary bolt 24 is associated with the base '10, A spring 25 cooperateswith the head 26 of the bolt 2a to serve to project the same.

projected upwardly so. that the reduced portion 28 of the same may extend into the opening 23 of the U shaped portion 22 of the lock bolt. This obviously will close the circuit and permit current to flow through the .wires 28 to-actuate any suitable type of sig naling device, such a semaphore, etc.

Also by virtue ofthe reduced portion 28 of the'bolt 2st firmly engaging the lock bolt, it will be seen. that any rotation of the latter may not be effected until the block 14: has

been pern'iitted to seat within the recess'16, whichwill effect a rotation of the bolt 24, thus disengaging the same from the U shaped portion 22 of the first named bolt to permit a rotation of the latter.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated thatl have constructed a switch lock, which is susceptible tovariation, to meet the requirements of any desirable type of switch,

to lockthe switch until the parts of the same have been completely thrown. It will also switch constructed in accordance with my invention, and it will further be appreciated that the electrical connection established upon the parts being vactuated, will serve to amply warn any authorized person as to the unsafe COBCllJlOil of the switch, should a person operating the same leave the parts not in their proper position.

Obviously numerous modifications of structure might readily be resorted to without in the least departing from the spirit of my invention, which I claim as 1. A switch stand, including a base formed with recess, a shaft extending into said 'recess, a multi-faced block being secured to said shaft and being adapted to engage the -s1de walls of said faces, trunnious secured to and extending outwardly from said block, and means adapted to engage said trunnions for normally preventing a lifting of said block, andconsequcntly a subsequent turning-of the same.

2. A switch stand, including abase formed with a recess, a shaft extending into said recess, a multi-faced block being secured to said shaft and being adapted to engage and in which it willbe virtually impossible be seen that the conventional cumbersome pad loclr will be eliminated in utilizing a 'the'side walls of said faces, trunnions 36- 13c cured to and extending outwardly from said block, and a bolt formed with a U shaped rear portion, said bolt being rotatably supported within said base and being adapted to have its U shaped rear portion encircling one of the trunnions fixed to said block, whereby upon said bolt being rotated to invert said U shaped portion, an elevating of the block will be precluded.

3. A switch stand, including a base formed with a recess, a shaft extending into said recess, a multi-faced block being secured to said shaft and being adapted to engage the side walls of said faces, trunnions secured to and extending outwardly from said block, and a bolt formed with a U shaped rear portion, said bolt being rotatably supported within said base and being adapted to have its U shaped rear portion encircling one of the trunnions fixed to said bloclnwhereby "upon said bolt being rotated to invert said portion, said bolt being rotatably supported within said base and being adapted to have its U shaped rear portion encircling one of the trunnions fixed to said block, whereby upon said bolt being rotated to invert said U shaped portion, an elevating of the block -will be precluded, and means cooperating with said bolt and actuated by said block, for preventing a rotation of said bolt upon the same being turned to permit a lifting of said block until the latter is reseated with in said recessed portion.

5. A switch stand, including in combination with a base formed with a recessed portion, of a shaft adapted to extend through ing outwardly from said block, a rotatable bolt presenting a U shaped rear portion eapable of over or under lying one of said trunnions to prevent an elevating of the block, a secondary bolt secured to said base, a spring for slidably projecting the same, a head forming a part of said bolt and be ing engaged by said block, whereby to effect a retraction of the bolt against the projecting action of the spring, the base of the U shaped portion of the first named bolt being formed with an opening in the end portion of said secondary bolt being adapted to extend into the opening of the first named bolt upon the latter being rotated, and the block being lifted to permit a projection of the secondary bolt, whereby to prevent a rotation of the first named bolt until the block assumes its normal position within said recessed portion.

6. A switch stand, including in combination with a base formed with a recessed portion, of a shaft adapted to extend through said recessed portion, a block attached to said shaft, trunnions secured to and extending outwardly from said block, a rotatable bolt presenting a U shaped rear portion capable of over or under lying one of said trunnions to prevent an elevating of the block, a secondary bolt secured to said base, a spring slidably projecting the same, a head forming a part or" said bolt and being engaged by said block, whereby to effect a retraction of the bolt against the projecting action of the spring, the base of the U shaped portion of the first named bolt being formed with an opening in the end portion of said secondary bolt being adapted to extend into the opening of the nrst named bolt upon the latter being rotated, and the block being lifted to permit a projection of the secondary bolt, whereby to prevent a rotation of the first named bolt until the block assumes its normal position within said recessed portion, both of said bolts being insulated from said base, and lead wires connected to each of said bolts, whereby to effect a closing of a circuit upon the bolts engaging one with the other.

JOHN M. MORRLSON. 

